JPH01146221A - Leakage current protector - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a smaller-sized lower profile without bulky side attachment by passing through a first conductive terminal to a first slot, a second conductive terminal to a second slot respectively. CONSTITUTION: To set small-sized individual cylindrical fuse 44 into a block 12 passing through two pairs of slots 14, 14' and 16, 16', a pair of holes 36 and 38 is separately formed at both ends of the block 12. The holes 36 and 38 pass through the pair of side slots 14, 14' and 16, 16' respectively. The holes 36 and 38 which pass through the block 12 lie laterally against the slots 14, 14' and 16, 16'. At least one of the terminal openings of the holes 36 and 38 is large enough to accommodate the smallsized cylindrical fuse. When accommodated, the conductive end of the cylindrical fuse contacts a terminal then exerts a bridge function and a current overload protection function.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to leakage current protection devices used in connection with terminal blocks found in the communications industry. More specifically, the invention has a low profile and compact dimensions;
The present invention also relates to a novel leakage current protector including a non-conductive housing incorporating at least one small cylindrical fuse. The housing is insertable directly into the terminals extending upwardly from the terminal block.

a terminal block having a plurality of individual finger-shaped terminals;
For example, the well known Type 66 connector block connects equipment requiring protection from destructive current levels. Such protection is achieved by separate fuses connected to selected terminals. These fuse devices are commonly referred to as "leakage current protectors."

Early leakage current protectors manufactured by Western Electric Company are known in the telecommunications industry as Type 60D fuses. The 60D fuse is a relatively large, bulky fuse that is attached to a 66M 0.7 fanning strino 7' (ffl type & output terminal board). The 60D fuse is attached to the side from the block and professionally.

Extends above the top of the column. As a result, when using this fuse, sufficient spacing between terminal blocks cannot be achieved and block covers cannot be used. Additionally, the 60D type fuse is delicate and requires time-consuming manual wiring.

U.S. Patent No. 4.126.369 and U.S. Patent No. 4.447
．． No. 105 discloses an improved leakage current protector that is installed directly to adjacent terminals of a 66-type terminal block. However, this device has some serious drawbacks.

For example, these leakage current protectors include a rectangular housing with a relatively large cylindrical fitting (which houses the fuse) attached to one side of the housing and extending upwardly from the housing. The presence of bulky tubes necessitates alternating mounting of the device and also precludes deposition from one side to the other, and also precludes the use of a cover. Additionally, this unit is relatively difficult to assemble and install due to the large number of components (including multiple separate metal clips), and these components also reduce manufacturing costs and installation. Expenses will increase. Also, if the fuse blows, the entire unit must be thrown away and replaced.

These and other problems and drawbacks of the prior art are overcome or alleviated by the leakage current protector of the present invention.

In accordance with the present invention, the leakage current protector includes a block of electrically non-conductive, preferably plastic material having at least two slots sized to accommodate adjacent terminals extending from a terminal block, such as type 66 terminals. An aperture is provided in the block extending transversely to and communicating between the slots. The block is provided with a handle to allow direct attachment of the block slot to a pair of adjacent terminals.

During such installation, the conductive end of the cylindrical fuse contacts the terminal, providing bridging and current overload protection.

In the preferred embodiment, the slots provide access through the block to the subscriber line test equipment.

Also in the preferred embodiment, two pairs of slots are provided in the insulating block with lateral openings for receiving small cylindrical fuses.

It will be appreciated that rather than loading the aperture with a fuse, a small cylindrical rod could be inserted into the aperture to limit the functionality of the invention to an electrical bridge only. Also, other electrical or electronic components such as resistors and capacitors can be loaded into the apertures to make the invention useful in a wide variety of applications.

The leakage current protector of the present invention has many features and advantages over prior art devices. The present invention is compact, has no bulky lateral appendages, and has a low profile. As a result, it is possible to deposit from front to back and from the negative side to the other side.

The small cylindrical fuse installed in the present invention can be removed and replaced in the field without discarding the remainder of the unit.

Also, separate metal crinops are provided in slots in the housing, thereby reducing material, labor costs, and the number of electrical connections needed to complete the circuit.

These and other features of the invention will be understood by those skilled in the art from the following detailed description and drawings.

With respect to Figures 1-5, a leakage current protector according to the present invention is generally designated IO. The protection device IO includes a substantially rectangular block or housing 12 made of a non-conductive material, preferably a molded plastic material. In the preferred embodiment, housing 12 includes four slots.

The slots are two slots 14.14' and 16.1
6' arranged in two matched groups. Slots 14.14° and 16.16° pass through the height dimension of block 12 and provide downward openings 18.18° and 20.20°.
' and -hi openings 22, 22° and 24.24"
give.

Each opening 18. 18' and 20,20° are the well-known 6
It will be appreciated that the terminal block has a cross-sectional area sized to accommodate terminals extending upwardly from terminal blocks used in the telecommunications industry, such as the Type 6 terminal block (see FIG. 6). Each slot 14.14″ with the purpose of ensuring strong friction between a given terminal and the slot 14,14″ or 16.16°
and 16. A longitudinal rib is provided along the center of 16°. The relatively thin side walls 28.28' and 30.30" of each slot 14.14" and 16.16' flex outwardly when engaged with a terminal clip. Flexible side wall 28.
The combination with the 28° and 30,30° longitudinal ribs 26 ensures a strong and secure friction fit between each slot 14.14'', 16°+6' and the terminal containing said slot. Preferably: Each slot has an opening of 18.18°
and 20.includes an angled or inclined entry section 34 adjacent 20' to facilitate installation onto the terminal from the terminal block.

An important feature of the invention is that the slots 14, 14° and 16
．． 16' incorporates a small, separate cylindrical fuse (see 44 in FIG. 1) that is loaded into block 12 in communication with block 16'. For this purpose, a pair of spaced holes 36.3
8 are provided at both ends of block I2. Each type communicates between a pair of side slots 14°, 14° or 16,16°. For example, hole 36 communicates between slots 16,16'', and hole 38 communicates between two slots 16,16''. Preferably, each formula passes through block 12 and extends laterally into slots 14,14° and 16,16°. At least one of the terminal openings in holes 36, 38 is large enough to accommodate a small cylindrical fuse. Thus, for example, in the illustrated embodiment, a first end of block 12 includes a hole opening 39 large enough to accommodate a cylindrical fuse, and an opposite end of block 12 includes a hole opening 39 that is smaller than the cross-section of the fuse. It includes a hole opening 41 . In the preferred embodiment, each equation 36
．． 38 includes a longitudinal ridge 42 which acts to frictionally retain the cylindrical fuse after it has been inserted into the bore.

1 and 5, a miniature cylindrical fuse for use in connection with the present invention is indicated generally at 44. Fuse 44 is of well known construction and includes a pair of opposing conductive terminations 46, 48 electrically interconnected by a thin conductive filament 50. The housing of fuse 44 is typically glass. It will be appreciated that when the fuse 44 is loaded into the bore 36 or 38, the terminal end 46.48 is exposed and projects into the respective slot 14.14' or 16.16'. Thus, for example, in FIG. 5, fuse 44 communicates between slots 16 and 16 with terminal end 48 located in slot 16 and terminal end 46 located in slot 16.
16". Thus, when the device IO is inserted into the terminals from the terminal block (see Figure 6), a pair of laterally adjacent terminals will contact the terminals from the block. In the unlikely event that the fuse 44 If it is necessary to remove the fuse 44 from the block 12 (eg, when the filament 50 breaks), the fuse 44 is pushed out of the large end opening 39 by inserting a small rod into the small end opening 41 (FIG. 3).

The ease of removing the tubular fuse from block 12 is an important feature of the invention. This replaceability allows the leakage current protector of the present invention to be loaded with a new fuse at the block site if a fuse blows. Also, just as importantly, the device of the present invention can be used repeatedly by simply replacing a blown fuse, whereas prior art devices require the entire unit to be replaced. With respect to FIG. 1, another important indication of the removable feature of the tubular fuse 44 is that if desired, the 52
An electrically conductive cylindrical insert, such as the insert shown at , can be inserted into hole 36 or 38. The conductive insert 52 is simply a metal rod and is sized to be received in the hole 36,38. It will be appreciated that the conductive rods 52 transform the invention into a bridging device that electrically connects a pair of laterally adjacent terminals from a terminal block.

Additionally, in addition to fuse 44 and conductive rod 52, electrical or electronic components of appropriate size may be inserted into holes 36 or 38, as will be understood by those skilled in the art. Such components may, of course, consist of capacitors, resistors or the like, and can of course be designed so that both ends of the component are electrically conductive.

The invention therefore contemplates the use of other electrical or electronic components in addition to fuses and metal rods with insulating housings.

For ease of use, the leakage current protector of the present invention includes a suitable handle 54 that can be integrally formed from block 12. Handle 54 allows installation personnel to grasp protector 10 and insert it into or remove it from the terminals of the terminal block. In addition, block 1
Extending from the bottom surface of 2 are four small projections 56 which allow the protector 10 to be spaced rearwardly from the floor of the terminal block to accommodate the presence of wires thereon. Preferably, as in handle 54, projection 56
is an integrally molded part of block 12.

As is clear from the above description, the leakage current protector IO of the present invention includes a molded block 12 and a pair of cylindrical fuses 44 (
Alternatively, it consists of three separate parts including one or two cylindrical metal rods 52).

This is distinctly different from the prior art, which incorporates multiple pieces including conductive chips housing terminals, individual wires connecting to remote fuses, and bulky fuse components. The preferred embodiment also includes four slots 14.14.
Two fuses are provided for each module at 16.16' and 16.16', thereby cutting installation time in half. This is because in prior art devices only two slots and one fuse are used.

With reference to FIG. 8, a well-known terminal block (commonly referred to as an r66MJ block) used in the telecommunications industry is shown at 56. Terminal blocks 56 are arranged in a plurality of columns and rows in register. The leakage current protection device 10 of the present invention bridges two or more laterally adjacent terminals in adjacent rows. As mentioned above, when the protective device 10 is attached to the terminal 58, the outer wall 28.28' of the block 12, 30.30° is 6
Deflects outward slightly when engaging a Type 6 terminal clip.

This outward deflection is 14, 14° or 16.1
In conjunction with the 6° rib 26, the unit follows, so that a gas-tight interface is maintained between the conductive end caps 46, 48 of the fuse 44 and the terminal contacts of the block. As previously mentioned, the slots terminate at the top of unit 10 at openings 28°, 28° and 30.39°, so terminal block 5
The terminal 58 of 6 is connected without removing the leakage current protector IO (
Can be tested using commercially available subscriber line test units. This is another important feature compared to the prior art, which requires the leakage current protection device to be removed prior to subscriber line testing of the terminal.

Yet another important feature of the invention is that the slots 14°14'
and 16.16' do not require separate metal clips, so electrical contacts are reduced by half compared to the prior art, increasing reliability (and reducing material costs).

Although the preferred embodiment has been illustrated and described, many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. Therefore, it will be understood that the invention has been described by way of illustration and not limitation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a partially exploded perspective view of a leakage current protector according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a plan view of the protection device of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a right end view of the device of FIG. 1, and FIG. A cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in Figure 2, and Figure 5 shows the 2nd section after inserting the fuse.
6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 in the figure, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a communication terminal block showing the leakage current protection device of FIG. 1. 12, Block, 14.14° 16. I
6', Slot, 36.3B, Hole, 44
,,, Hughes. Patent applicant Zarsimon CompanyFIG,
6 FIG, 2 FIG, 5 FIG, 4 FIG, 3

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A terminal bridge device, comprising: an insulating block having opposing upper and lower surfaces and opposing first and second end surfaces; forming a first slot and a second slot; at least two aligned slots extending through at least a portion of the block, each slot terminating in the lower surface at a pair of first openings; at least one of the blocks terminating in the first end surface at a second opening; at least one hole through the hole: electrically conductive component means in said hole, said component means having first and second electrically conductive terminations, said first conductive termination communicating with said first slot; , the second conductive termination communicates with the second slot. 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said conductive component means includes fuse means. 3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said electrically conductive component means comprises a metal rod. 4. The apparatus of claim 1 including handle means on said top surface of said insulating block. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the first and second
A slot terminates in the upper surface of the block in a pair of third openings. 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of said slots includes at least one longitudinal rib. 7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the slot is substantially rectangular. 8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first opening includes a ramp section. 9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the hole terminates in the second end surface at a fourth opening. 10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the second opening is sized to receive the fuse means and the fourth opening is sized to retain the fuse. 11. The apparatus of claim 1 including at least one longitudinal ridge along at least a portion of the length of said hole for frictionally retaining said component means. 12. The device according to claim 1, wherein the hole is cylindrical. 13. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fuse means is cylindrical. 14. The device according to claim 13, wherein the hole is cylindrical. 15. The device according to claim 3, wherein the metal rod is cylindrical. 16. The device according to claim 15, wherein the hole is cylindrical. 17. The apparatus of claim 1 including means on said lower surface of said block for separating said block from one surface. 18. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the block is made of plastic and is unitary. 19. A terminal bridge device, comprising: an insulating block having opposing upper and lower surfaces and opposing first and second end surfaces; four slots passing through at least a portion of the insulating block;
the slots terminating in the insulating lower surface at four first openings, said slots being arranged in two mutually aligned pairs forming a first pair of slots and a second pair of slots; passing through at least a portion of said block; first and second spaced apart holes, the holes terminating in the first end face of the block at a pair of second openings, the first hole communicating between the slots of the first pair of slots, and the first hole communicating between the slots of the first slot pair; The 2nd hole is the 2nd hole.
communicating between the slots of the pair of slots; electrically conductive component means in at least one of said first and second holes, said component means having electrically conductive first and second terminations; One conductive termination communicates with one of the slots of the first and second pair of slots, and the second conductive termination communicates with the other of the slots of the first and second pair of slots. 20. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said conductive component means includes fuse means. 21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said electrically conductive component means comprises a metal rod. 22. The apparatus of claim 19 including handle means on said top surface of said insulating block. 23. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the slot terminates in the upper surface of the block at the third opening. 24. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein each of the slots includes at least one longitudinal rib. 25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the slot is substantially rectangular. 26. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the first opening includes a ramp section. 27. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the hole terminates in the second end surface at a fourth opening. 28. The apparatus of claim 27, wherein the second opening is sized to receive the component means and the fourth opening is sized to retain the fuse. 29. The apparatus of claim 19 including at least one longitudinal ridge along at least a portion of the length of the hole for frictionally retaining the component means. 30. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the hole is cylindrical. 31. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein the fuse means is cylindrical. 32. The apparatus of claim 31, wherein the hole is cylindrical. 33. The device according to claim 21, wherein the metal rod is cylindrical. 34. The apparatus of claim 33, wherein the hole is cylindrical. 35. The apparatus of claim 19, including means on said lower surface of said block for separating said block from one surface. 36. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein the block is made of plastic and is unitary. 37. The apparatus of claim 19 including component means in each of said first and second holes.